As Long As You're Mine
by Jinxedandhexed
Summary: A sleepless night brings about a late night patrol and some unexpected surprises. What is it about Gotham City anyway? Rating Strong T
1. Prologue

A sleepless night brings about a late night patrol and some unexpected surprises.  
What is it about Gotham City anyway?

Disclaimer: If you recognize it in any way it isn't ours and writing slave is broke so no use trying to send us the therapist bills either.

(Galacia: Unfortunately, "the voices in my head made me write it", is probably not a plausible or even believable excuse at this point. So I will blame too much chocolate and reading fan fiction until 3am every night for a week for this one. The plot bunny demons thrive on that sort of thing.

Setting: Takes place after Artemis is left alone in her bedroom at the end of the episode Insecurity.

Rating: Strong T mostly for language and for later events

As Long As You're Mine By Galacia

Gotham City 12:45 AM

12:45 AM

She ran across the rooftops looking for ANY kind of a distraction. The events of earlier kept playing through her head over and over. Was there really anything she could have done differently? Considering the parties involved probably not. But then again those words kept echoing over and over in her mind

"**_You are a real archer, You've made your own place on the team. You have nothing to prove. Not to me. Okay?"  
"What you have proven is that you are insecure and selfish."  
"You are not who you say you are."  
"You can't fight who you truly are." _**

She wasn't the even the one the team needed R.A. had experience on her no question there, and it wasn't like Batman couldn't use her skills somewhere else. In spite of what Aqualad said, R.A was the one that truly had a place on the team, she had simply been the stand in until he came back to them. Besides due to his experience and skill R.A was perfectly capable of keeping the team safe. It wasn't like Batman couldn't find her another assignment-

_What if they face Sportsmaster again and you aren't there? _

There it was staring her in the face. She may have thrown the mission but not for the reasons anyone else might think. It was more about than trying to keep her past a secret and it was more than trying to prove that everyone's misconceptions about her were wrong. If something had happened to the former sidekicks on the mission earlier today she wouldn't have been able to forgive herself.

_**"You're abandoning?"**_  
_**"I'm prioritizing."**_

The water chase, she hadn't been there, but Sportsmaster he know that there was more than one tail. Either R.A. or Aqualad could've been badly hurt. That had either been a diversion or he hadn't had the time to be more hands on.

_** "Someone on your team doesn't trust you."**_

But in the warehouse when Cheshire had shown Artemis that monitor she knew Sportsmaster was trying to ambush R.A. She had used an explosive arrow to stop the situation in a way. **_That_** had been her warning. The important thing was that the jerk formerly known as Speedy was still alive.  
Cheshire would toy with them, but she wouldn't hurt any of them too badly. She even seemed fond of "toying" with Red. Even now Artemis wasn't sure if Cheshire had been flirting with or just messing with everyone's heads equally. However, if they got in the way too often or if he were ordered to do so Sportmaster would _**ELIMINATE** _her teammates from the picture. It's how he built his reputation, getting rid of problems for his employers, and he was an expert at it. For an moment Artemis found herself wondering if Sportsmaster actually had a point. Which lead to a new dilemma, she could turn her back on the team. But how could she help protect or look after them, without looking even more like the traitor Red Arrow believed her to be? The look on Wal- BAYWATCH'S face when he realized she had switched the tracers-  
_Or is it that you care what he thinks?  
_She certainly and definitely_ **did not** _about Wallace West thought about her. He had made it very clear what he thought about her, nothing had changed since the day they had met. Not a single blessed thing. As for the rest of the team, it wasn't like they had ever really been close anyway. And their opinions were just as clear as Kid Annoying's had been. Which sure made her next move a whole lot easier.

She looked over the rooftops as she came out of her reverie. "I can't let them get hurt, maybe even killed, because of my mistakes or failures." She whispered outloud to the city around her. "Which means it's over."


	2. Don't Leave Me

A sleepless night brings about a late night patrol and some unexpected surprises.  
What is it about Gotham City anyway?

Disclaimer: Do we own them? Nope. Are we going to mess with them? ABSOLUTELY!

Setting: An AU That takes place after Artemis is left alone in her bedroom at the end of the episode Insecurity.

Rating: Strong T mostly for language and for later events

'{}' mean telepathy Bold Italics are those pesky second thoughts let's see if this works.  
Regular Italic regular thoughts

Because this is an AU please be advised that we have adjusted K.F. and Artemis' ages to 17 only because it makes us feel less guilty about following the plot bunny demon to it's possible conclusions. Thank you for your tolerance.

Chapter 1: Don't Leave Me

Mount Justice 12:00 a.m.

It seemed like forever since the announcement that the mission was a failure, and that they should all go to bed. Maybe it wasn't but... something was just wrong. "What are you doing?" Robin asked. Startling Wally out of his reverie, what was it about Bats and sneaking up on people?  
"Homework."  
"The book is upside down, Wally." And there it was, the look that if you recognized it, you knew meant the mini bat was  
ready to summon his inner troll.  
"I happen to be an expert at reading things upside down. Besides it takes away from the boredom."  
"Why are you doing it here?" Robin asked.  
"You caught me. I am observing what goes on, when people think you are not paying attention. It's for a school project.  
Don't worry, I promise to change the names and locations to protect the innocent.  
So your paranoid mentor doesn't feel the need to have killed in my sleep for being a security risk."  
Okay, maybe that one was a little below the utility belt, but Robin was the one that started this.  
"You are studying us for a school project." Repeated Robin his tone conveying he didn't believe a word coming from the speedster's mouth.  
"Yep." Wally answered, it wasn't like he cared what Robin thought anyway. There was a pause before the snarky bird answered  
"You're waiting for Artemis to reappear, so you can apologize for being a jackass aren't you?"  
Wally resisted the urge to punch his long time friend. Even though the expression on said "friend's" face was making it difficult.  
"I don't know what you are talking about." Wally answered. _**Damn s**_**_narky ninja bat bird_  
**"Of course you don't." Robin replied leaving the room. Which gave Wally the feeling that even though Robin was the one that left the room.  
Robin was the one who had actually made his point.

* * *

A few hours after the snarky ninja bat bird left him alone. Wally had concluded that he, Wally Rudolph West was a moron.  
With all the definitions and synonyms that the word entailed. Many of which he had scribbled down, while waiting for a glimpse of a certain  
annoying infuriating and irritating blonde harpy.  
"What are you doing?" And boy was he getting tired of that question. Seriously, didn't anyone** SLEEP** in this place?  
"Homework."  
"She isn't in there." Conner replied.  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Artemis isn't in her room, which is oddly enough empty of personal articles." Conner replied. "She isn't anywhere else in the cave either."  
"She left?" Wally asked. "And her stuff is gone from her room? When did this happen?"  
WTF? They were in Mt JUSTICE, a stronghold designed by superheroes, and the security was over looked by no less than the  
**_FREAKING_ **_**BATMAN**_! And Wally was to believe that a seventeen year old girl managed to breach the perimeter with her worldly  
possessions and no one noticed? Or was Conner simply implying that no one cared enough to do anything about it?  
"Probably not long after you acted like a jackass." Conner answered.  
"But..." That had to have been hours ago.  
"There was a power surge related shutdown that lasted about fifteen minutes, only the emergency exits were active." Conner explained.  
"Any idea what caused it?" Wally asked.  
"No one seems to know." Megan answered.  
Now where did she come from? "But I'm guessing this may have something to do with it." She held up a blacked arrow.  
Wally took the arrow in his hands. This did not make any sense whatsoever.

The look on Wally's face made Conner think about the conversation he had had with M'Gann earlier...  
_  
_Earlier during the briefing:

_{What's going on?} _ M'Gann asked.  
_{Artemis didn't follow orders while in the field and went after Cheshire and Sportsmaster on her own.} _Conner replied._  
_ Megan had seemed lost in thought for a moment, _{Maybe that is what she meant.}_  
_{__M'Gann?}_ Conner asked confused.  
_{__I don't pry into people's thoughts on purpose but earlier... I caught one of Artemis' thoughts by accident.}_ Megan explained.  
_{It was so strong that I had no alternative but to feel it. __She was thinking "They are mine now. I can't- I won't let him hurt them."}_

Considering everything that had occurred in the last couple of hours Conner believed that Megan was right.  
There was much more than what meet the eye on this.  
_{Is it ready?}_ Conner asked Megan. She nodded, and Conner got a good grip on Wally and lifted him up. Ignoring the other teen's protests,  
which were muffled thanks to the gag that Megan provided. Conner carried Wally to the computer terminal that Robin had abandoned and  
dumped Wally unceremoniously into the chair. "What has gotten into you?" Wally demanded.  
"According to the observations of both Zatanna and Robin you are not only acting like a jackass, you are drowning in an Egyptian river.  
The terminal is all ready and you probably have a good hour or so until someone realizes what is going on." Conner answered.  
"And the point of this is?"  
"You want to figure out what Artemis' problem is, before you decide she is still worthy of your trust and friendship? Do that."  
Conner answered and locked the door behind him.  
"That was clear as mud." Wally muttered. He looked up and saw which files were available on the computer.  
Basically everything the League or BATMAN for that matter had on Sportsmaster.  
He stared at monitor for a moment and then began reading.

Twenty minutes later food and beverage was slipped through the door. Wally started consuming it mindlessly as he read more.  
It didn't do much good as five minutes later the beverage had been spit-fountained back at the computer. _** WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? **_

Forty minutes after his imposed imprisonment, Wally found a way to escape his prison the next time someone tried to open that door.  
He proceeded to escape the cave as it had it's second power surge related shutdown that evening. Another twenty minutes after that he was on his way to Gotham City to search for his missing teammate

* * *

Gotham City Streets

Half an eternity later (1:45 a.m. Non-speedster time)

This place was either bigger than it looked or the shadows of this city had their own zip codes. Seriously, what was it with Gotham City  
shadows and fog? Did Batman have them imported or especially created for his own personal use? Because that was taking the whole  
"I am the Night" thing a little too far in Wally's opinion. And once again it seemed the universe was mocking him. Because every time  
he would swear he saw a flash of green, or someone in the fog or shadows, but it wasn't Artemis. At one point Wally could have sworn  
he saw M'Gann, but the odds of that the martian girl was scouring the same streets Wally was at the _**exact **_same time seemed unlikely.

_Gotham City, the place you go to lose the losers that need to find you most._ Wally thought bitterly to himself. Wait what was that?  
"Artemis?" He asked hopefully. "I need to talk to you." He approached carefully, because it wasn't like she couldn't lose him in this crazy  
labyrinth of a city, for like the zillionth time. What were people who designed this place smoking anyway? And was Batman like their own,  
although probably unintended, Minotaur or what? "I've been a real asshole. Hell I was probably worse of one to you then Red Arrow.  
At least you know that with him it's a personality trait, I was being a major hypocrite acting like I trusted you with my life one moment and  
turning on you the next. I just didn't understand- but at least I want the chance to let you explain it. If you are still willing to talk to me that is."  
It all came out in a rush in his eagerness to get his message across to her.

She said nothing but she didn't make any attempt to escape either. Wally idly wondered for a moment how much it would hurt his pride to beg.  
On the other hand, if the result was never hearing her insult him, or laugh with or at him, or seeing her ever again-  
What as a little wounded ego between frienemies? Because there was no evidence that she didn't love to hate him or frustrate the ever loving out of him.  
It was strange how badly those hours of separation and fear of having lost the annoying blonde know-it-all archer had affected him.  
It was like getting a blow to the chest and getting all the wind knocked out so that he couldn't breathe.  
Not knowing what else to do he extended his hand to her. "I know I have no right to ask any kind of favor from you after what happened today.  
But I was wondering if you wouldn't mind calling a temporary cease-fire. You know until we can lay out conditions of what it would take for you  
to tolerate being in the same room as me for any reason; other than you deciding to kill me on sight that is."  
The figure in the shadows moved closer and offered her hand to him. "It's a deal-" Kid Flash was suddenly enveloped in a cloud of chemicals  
"That I will be happy to relay to your girlfriend when I see her."

Creatures arose from the ground catching the young hero before he hit the pavement.  
"Take good care of him for me would you?" She requested of them.  
The creatures bowed their heads as if in consent. She laughed and gave Kid Flash a kiss, "Sweet dreams, little hero."  
Poison Ivy and her creations disappeared into the night.

* * *

A/N: Hopefully I haven't scared anyone off by this point. Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated.

Jynx: Press the pretty little button below, you know you want to.


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